COMMUNITIES

U NETWORK

Heartware in the Heartlands

14 May 2018

Story by Jonathan Tan
Photos: HDB and Jonathan Tan

It has been four years in the making, but Kampung Admiralty, Singapore’s first ‘vertical kampung’ – dubbed so because it has been designed to foster greater interaction between residents and the community, was officially opened by Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong on 12 May 2018.

A one-of-a-kind integrated development catering to seniors, Kampung Admiralty features two 11-storey residential blocks with some 100 apartment units specifically for seniors aged 55 and above. Each unit comes with elder-friendly features such as anti-slip vinyl flooring, grab bars, ramps and even larger switches.

A first for a Housing & Development Board (HDB) public housing project, Kampung Admiralty features integrated eldercare, childcare, healthcare and wellness facilities to promote inter-generational bonding and encourage its senior residents to actively socialise and engage with neighbours and friends.

Fostering The Kampung Spirit

“We wanted people to lead active and meaningful lives,” said PM Lee as he highlighted facilities accessible to all residents. This include the Admiralty Medical Centre and NTUC Health’s Active Ageing Hub that offers daycare services at the centre and home care for seniors who cannot leave their homes.

“Most importantly, Kampung Admiralty has been designed to be integrated with the rest of the community, with many community services and amenities under one roof like My First Skool, Foodfare hawker centre and FairPrice supermarket – all in partnership with NTUC Social Enterprises,” he said.

Enjoying the Benefits

They may still be in the midst of moving into their 10th floor unit but Mr Ho Soh Wah, 70, and Mdm Wong Mi Mi, 68, are already been getting acquainted with their neighbours and enjoying the amenities.

“This is the best place with so many facilities. There’s the Foodfare hawker centre with affordable food, and places where we can spend our time such as the NTUC Health Active Ageing Hub where we have been helping out to keep ourselves active. The best part is that we can get to know more people too,” said Mr Ho.

At A Glance: The NTUC Social Enterprises

Co-located within the complex, NTUC Health, NTUC First Campus, NTUC Foodfare and NTUC FairPrice have been working together to bring value-for-money essential services to residents living in and around Kampung Admiralty.

Here are some of the highlights:

NTUC Health

A one stop hub, the NTUC Health Active Ageing Hub located on the 6th floor of the complex offers a range of day care services and home care services for residents who are home-bound.

NTUC First Campus

Located on the 6th floor, NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool offers infant and child care services for residents in the area. The child care curriculum also includes inter-generational interaction and bonding with seniors at the Active Ageing Hub.

NTUC Foodfare

Located at the 2nd floor, the Foodfare hawker centre features family-friendly facilities such as nursing rooms and wider passageways for diners with mobility aids. The 43 food stalls also make use of healthier cooking oil and offer a range of healthier choice options on their menus.

NTUC FairPrice

Located at Basement 1, the FairPrice supermarket incorporates senior-friendly features such as wider aisles and larger price tags. Healthier choice options are also positioned more strategically to encourage consumers.